Well, after my appointment today it looks like we will for sure be having a baby on Monday, April 4th (if not before). We have an induction scheduled and honestly I am still in complete shock over the whole thing. If you think about it, please pray for our little family.
My plan is to keep the blog updated throughout the day so feel free to stop by and see what's happening with Mr. Easton!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
38 Weeks!
How Far Along: 38 Weeks
Total Weight Gain: 19 pounds.
Maternity Clothes: Yep. I am really ready for nicer weather to be here so I can start wearing more comfortable dresses and flip flops.
Gender: A little boy. Easton Shawn.
Movement: Yes! He moves so much. My whole stomach hurts!
Sleep: As expected, it isn't the greatest right now.
What I miss: Feeling comfortable. Being able to bend over.
Cravings: While I still crave chocolate, my stomach just feels like it has no more room.
Symptoms: Back pain, pressure, heartburn, feeling like my belly surely can't stretch anymore. Braxton Hicks contractions that are really starting to hurt more.
Best Moment this week: Getting to meet my dear friend Amber's little girl (who was due two days before Easton's due date but decided to come early!!!)
Monday, March 28, 2011
Babymoon
This past weekend my parents offered to watch Lauren for a little while so that Shawn and I could have some time before our lives change drastically! Obviously we took them up on their offer as fast as we could. Ha!!! We aint fools!!!
We had a really great time together just hanging out. It was so nice to be able to really talk about what was about to happen and what our fears and plans were. I feel more prepared going into this newborn stage than I did with Lauren and so we had some great conversations about the reality of our lives and what we would need to do to help each other. :)
We stayed in town and got caught up on some movies....
Of course we had plenty of popcorn and junk for our movie marathon!
We also got to go out to dinner! Just the two of us! It was fabulous. Except for the fact that I swear my stomach has NO MORE ROOM!!! I get full so easily anymore. :)
So thankful for parents who are willing to take good care of our little girl so we could have some time. :) We truly appreciated it!!!
I am also thankful for the man of my life. I love him so much and the quality time we were able to spend together just brought us closer before the craziness begins!!!
We had a really great time together just hanging out. It was so nice to be able to really talk about what was about to happen and what our fears and plans were. I feel more prepared going into this newborn stage than I did with Lauren and so we had some great conversations about the reality of our lives and what we would need to do to help each other. :)
We stayed in town and got caught up on some movies....
Of course we had plenty of popcorn and junk for our movie marathon!
We also got to go out to dinner! Just the two of us! It was fabulous. Except for the fact that I swear my stomach has NO MORE ROOM!!! I get full so easily anymore. :)
So thankful for parents who are willing to take good care of our little girl so we could have some time. :) We truly appreciated it!!!
I am also thankful for the man of my life. I love him so much and the quality time we were able to spend together just brought us closer before the craziness begins!!!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Ball in the Backyard
While my mother-in-law was here we took some time to play outside in the gorgeous weather. Lauren had a blast and us adults all got a little exercise. Ha!
It was so nice to have her here to help with Lauren while I got a few things done in order to prepare for Easton. Thank you Bev!!!
It was so nice to have her here to help with Lauren while I got a few things done in order to prepare for Easton. Thank you Bev!!!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
No Baby Yet!
Hey, I know I have been MIA lately and all I can say is that I have been super busy trying to get ready for little Easton's arrival. I know that I technically have 3 weeks left as of today, but my doctor led me to believe at my last appointment that we may get to meet him a little earlier than that. I'll know more at my appointment tomorrow, but it has sent my already overworked brain into overload!
My sweet mother-in-law came down this week and has been helping out with Lauren so that I can get my freezer cooking done a week early. I got SO much made yesterday and honestly, I am a little sore today and am thankful that I don't have as much to get accomplished in that area. Lauren has been totally monopolizing her time and enjoying getting spoiled by her Meme. I am so thankful that Bev is so willing to come and help out and spend time with her granddaughter. It has been such a blessing!!! I am so blessed with a mother and a mother-in-law who are so invested in our little family and who will help us out in any way they can!
I think I am going to go ahead and get my hospital bag packed later this week too. I have most of it done, but I still need to make the master list of items needed. I can't believe that in three weeks or less we will have a little girl and a little boy in our home.
My sweet mother-in-law came down this week and has been helping out with Lauren so that I can get my freezer cooking done a week early. I got SO much made yesterday and honestly, I am a little sore today and am thankful that I don't have as much to get accomplished in that area. Lauren has been totally monopolizing her time and enjoying getting spoiled by her Meme. I am so thankful that Bev is so willing to come and help out and spend time with her granddaughter. It has been such a blessing!!! I am so blessed with a mother and a mother-in-law who are so invested in our little family and who will help us out in any way they can!
I think I am going to go ahead and get my hospital bag packed later this week too. I have most of it done, but I still need to make the master list of items needed. I can't believe that in three weeks or less we will have a little girl and a little boy in our home.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Just One of Those Days
Yesterday was one of those days. Those beautiful and glorious and special in the most random of ways days.
Lauren and I went to the grocery store in the morning and I bought myself flowers just because. Just because they were only $2.50 and my kitchen table is much happier when there are blooms in the middle of it.
While Lauren napped I cleaned. And cleaned. And cleaned. We are talking hands and knees scrubbing the floors and showers. It felt so good. It smelled good too.
After naptime we took advantage of the glorious weather outside. We've been slowly (and I do mean slowly) working on the letter A so I thought it might be fun to do some A painting outside.
Of course my little darling needed her sunglasses.
Then, we looked for flowers and buds blooming. Lauren hit the jackpot with the little white and blueweeds flowers in our yard. She wanted me to carry all the flowers she picked for me in my pockets.
We played Follow the Leader for a looooong time and she was just the cutest thing. :)
For dinner we had this amazing dish. Seriously - it was so scrumptious and Shawn and I both LOVED it. To me, you can't go wrong with bowtie pasta, feta cheese, and olive oil. Of course, go here for the actual recipe. I added grilled chicken to ours and didn't put quite as much olive oil as it called for and it was so fantastic.
It seemed like the perfect night for a fruit salad as well. Super yummy!!!
Shawn helped me clean off the ceiling fans and vents and he even washed our front and back glass doors! He is such a man! Love him!!!
Lauren and I went to the grocery store in the morning and I bought myself flowers just because. Just because they were only $2.50 and my kitchen table is much happier when there are blooms in the middle of it.
While Lauren napped I cleaned. And cleaned. And cleaned. We are talking hands and knees scrubbing the floors and showers. It felt so good. It smelled good too.
After naptime we took advantage of the glorious weather outside. We've been slowly (and I do mean slowly) working on the letter A so I thought it might be fun to do some A painting outside.
Of course my little darling needed her sunglasses.
Then, we looked for flowers and buds blooming. Lauren hit the jackpot with the little white and blue
We played Follow the Leader for a looooong time and she was just the cutest thing. :)
For dinner we had this amazing dish. Seriously - it was so scrumptious and Shawn and I both LOVED it. To me, you can't go wrong with bowtie pasta, feta cheese, and olive oil. Of course, go here for the actual recipe. I added grilled chicken to ours and didn't put quite as much olive oil as it called for and it was so fantastic.
It seemed like the perfect night for a fruit salad as well. Super yummy!!!
Shawn helped me clean off the ceiling fans and vents and he even washed our front and back glass doors! He is such a man! Love him!!!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Jesus Invade
Today as I was scrubbing the gunk off of my shower walls, the song Invade by Watermark came on the Pandora station I was listening to. I stopped and really soaked in the words of the song and now I can't get it out of my head. I looked everywhere for the actual music video to put on here, but I can't find it. I thought I would post the lyrics in case you are interested.
I've been thinking a lot about what life will look like once Easton is here. I've thought about what I want my home to be like as my children grow, as I grow, and as my husband and I grow together. This song was so perfect for these musings. Oh how I want Jesus to invade these simple rooms. How I want Him to conquer all that opposes Him in this very house. How I want this place to be His!
Watermark - Invade
Come, come in
Invade all You see of us
Any man, who'd walk Your road is welcomed here
And You're the only one
Chorus:
Jesus, come and walk the halls of this house
Tread this place and turn it inside out
With Your mercy...
Jesus, teach us the prayers that open these doors
Until Your light floods in and illuminates these floors
And let Your truth be on our steps and in these rooms
Jesus invade...
Reach, reach in
With the hand that heals all our suffering
Conquer all that is not of You
Bring Your spirit through
As we fill these walls with Your praise
I call for angels
I call for mercy
I call for freedom
In the name of Jesus
In the name of Jesus
I've been thinking a lot about what life will look like once Easton is here. I've thought about what I want my home to be like as my children grow, as I grow, and as my husband and I grow together. This song was so perfect for these musings. Oh how I want Jesus to invade these simple rooms. How I want Him to conquer all that opposes Him in this very house. How I want this place to be His!
Watermark - Invade
Come, come in
Invade all You see of us
Any man, who'd walk Your road is welcomed here
And You're the only one
Chorus:
Jesus, come and walk the halls of this house
Tread this place and turn it inside out
With Your mercy...
Jesus, teach us the prayers that open these doors
Until Your light floods in and illuminates these floors
And let Your truth be on our steps and in these rooms
Jesus invade...
Reach, reach in
With the hand that heals all our suffering
Conquer all that is not of You
Bring Your spirit through
As we fill these walls with Your praise
I call for angels
I call for mercy
I call for freedom
In the name of Jesus
In the name of Jesus
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Planner In Me
Well, as you know we are down to 5 weeks baby! Possibly even sooner if my doctor decides to induce me. There is a possibility of that actually happening since I am going to also be having surgery done to fix my umbilical hernia while in the hospital. Anyway, those of you who know me well know that I am a planner. I love to plan and be prepared for whatever is ahead. It doesn't always happen and there have definitely been some curve balls thrown during this pregnancy, but all in all, I do not like to go into something with no preparation.
With five weeks left and a big list of items I want to get accomplished, I decided I would break them down into weekly goals and tasks to accomplish. Here is what I have so far!!!
1st week - Closets & Clothes
I actually completed this last week and I am so excited. My main goal was to get Easton's newborn and 0-3 month clothes washed and put away. I also wanted to organize his closet, and wash his sheets and blankets and changing pad cover. I decided to go ahead and get Lauren's closet ready for spring as well. I packed up anything she had outgrown, and made sure she was ready for the nicer weather!
2nd week - Easton's Room & Deep Clean of the House
This is the week I am currently on. My plan is to finally finish his canvas!!! And, I have a few special touches to add to his walls. My friend, Carissa, made the neatest print for his room that I cannot wait to get printed and hung!!! His nursery bedding won't be in until the last week of March (argh) but I hope to have every other little detail completed this week. I have plans to set up my "nursing station" and I want to make sure I have everything needed for his changing area. Not entirely sure what little boys need in that area, so any suggestions for things I might not have thought about would be great!
I also have plans to scrub the showers and floors, dust ceiling fans, wash windows, clean out a few drawers, etc. before doing so becomes completely impossible
3rd week - Pack the Hospital Bag(s)
This week my goal is to get my hospital bag packed and Easton's diaper bag ready to go! I need to wash my cute pajamas and the hospital gown my Meme made for me (hoping I get to actually wear it while giving birth...it is too cute!). I want to make a master list of everything I will need that I can't pack right away (toiletries, etc) so that if I should go into labor I can quickly look at my list, gather my things, and go! Do you have any suggestions for things I should take?
I am also going to get Lauren's Big Sister Bag ready. Shawn and I have been collecting little fun odds and ends for her over the past couple of months. She'll be able to use this bag in the hospital or at home to color, play with puzzles, read books, etc.
4th week - Freezer Cooking
My sweet friend Mandie set up a meal train for me for after Easton is born and several sweet friends have signed up to bring us meals for those first few days home from the hospital but I wanted to take some time and cook up a bunch of meals that will freeze well that we can eat those first couple of months. I know I will be exhausted and it will be so nice to know there are quick and easy meals ready for us if we need them!
5th week - Hair, Nails, & Relax
This will be the final week before his due date, so I plan on getting my hair done and going to get a pedicure with my friend Amber. I also hope to have all the major stuff done so that I can just chill before Easton gets here. I hope to spend a lot of quality time with Lauren and maybe go on a fun family date of three for the last time!
6th week - Easton's Birth Week
Or at least his due date week. Wonder if that boy will show up early or late? Hopefully I will be ready! :)
With five weeks left and a big list of items I want to get accomplished, I decided I would break them down into weekly goals and tasks to accomplish. Here is what I have so far!!!
1st week - Closets & Clothes
I actually completed this last week and I am so excited. My main goal was to get Easton's newborn and 0-3 month clothes washed and put away. I also wanted to organize his closet, and wash his sheets and blankets and changing pad cover. I decided to go ahead and get Lauren's closet ready for spring as well. I packed up anything she had outgrown, and made sure she was ready for the nicer weather!
Tiny pajamas and swaddle blankets!
Adorable and oh so small onesies, pants, and outfits.
His hanging clothes!
I've been stockpiling on diapers and wipes and so I got those all organized and ready in his closet! I feel so good about having these all ready and on hand!
2nd week - Easton's Room & Deep Clean of the House
This is the week I am currently on. My plan is to finally finish his canvas!!! And, I have a few special touches to add to his walls. My friend, Carissa, made the neatest print for his room that I cannot wait to get printed and hung!!! His nursery bedding won't be in until the last week of March (argh) but I hope to have every other little detail completed this week. I have plans to set up my "nursing station" and I want to make sure I have everything needed for his changing area. Not entirely sure what little boys need in that area, so any suggestions for things I might not have thought about would be great!
I also have plans to scrub the showers and floors, dust ceiling fans, wash windows, clean out a few drawers, etc. before doing so becomes completely impossible
3rd week - Pack the Hospital Bag(s)
This week my goal is to get my hospital bag packed and Easton's diaper bag ready to go! I need to wash my cute pajamas and the hospital gown my Meme made for me (hoping I get to actually wear it while giving birth...it is too cute!). I want to make a master list of everything I will need that I can't pack right away (toiletries, etc) so that if I should go into labor I can quickly look at my list, gather my things, and go! Do you have any suggestions for things I should take?
I am also going to get Lauren's Big Sister Bag ready. Shawn and I have been collecting little fun odds and ends for her over the past couple of months. She'll be able to use this bag in the hospital or at home to color, play with puzzles, read books, etc.
4th week - Freezer Cooking
My sweet friend Mandie set up a meal train for me for after Easton is born and several sweet friends have signed up to bring us meals for those first few days home from the hospital but I wanted to take some time and cook up a bunch of meals that will freeze well that we can eat those first couple of months. I know I will be exhausted and it will be so nice to know there are quick and easy meals ready for us if we need them!
5th week - Hair, Nails, & Relax
This will be the final week before his due date, so I plan on getting my hair done and going to get a pedicure with my friend Amber. I also hope to have all the major stuff done so that I can just chill before Easton gets here. I hope to spend a lot of quality time with Lauren and maybe go on a fun family date of three for the last time!
6th week - Easton's Birth Week
Or at least his due date week. Wonder if that boy will show up early or late? Hopefully I will be ready! :)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
35 Weeks!!!!
(I was dressed up to go to dinner with friends, so I decided I'd better get my 35 week picture on here. No excuse of only having sweatpants and a tee shirt on!)
How Far Along: 35 Weeks
Total Weight Gain: 18 pounds.
Maternity Clothes: Yep. I am really ready for nicer weather to be here so I can start wearing more comfortable dresses and flip flops.
Gender: A little boy. Easton Shawn.
Movement: He really likes to kick and move around as I am trying to fall asleep at night. :) He is a very active little boy!
Sleep: Ugggg....I've been loving my Boppy wedge for a while now, but it has flattened out so much (due to my gigantic belly) that it isn't much relief. Shawn brought down my big pregnancy pillow from the attic so that I can try it tonight. I'm hoping that I can get a little more comfortable using it.
What I miss: Seeing my feet. Ha.
Cravings: Chocolate!!! And Tums. Well, I don't crave Tums but I eat them enough that you would think I did.
Symptoms: Back pain, pressure, heartburn, feeling like my belly surely can't stretch anymore.
Best Moment this week: Washing and putting away all of the sweet newborn clothes for Easton. :)
I wanted to get a few pictures of the big sister! She is so stinking adorable, I can't even stand it!!!
She really is going to be the best big sister. She is always worried about me and how my belly is growing. If I have a belly pain or a contraction, she will say, "Mama, Eaton hurt you?" It is the sweetest thing. She also talks about him all the time and says how much he is going to love her. How could he not?
Up close and personal....I feel so HUGE!
The love of my life and the man Easton will look up to and adore. What a lucky little boy he is.
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
So Much To Be Thankful For
A couple of weeks ago I listened to a sermon on being thankful. The pastor's words have really stuck with me and it seems like I've been in more situations lately where I've been on the receiving end of grace and sweet deeds than I have in my whole life. I've been so thankful it has been painful. Honestly, I've been so thankful that I've been overwhelmed at the love shown to me. I've struggled with the lies the enemy has told me that I am not worth the love shown or that I will never be able to express how grateful I am. I've prayed over and over that God would show the people in my life how thankful I am even when my words seem to fall short.
The pastor said something that I totally agree with that was something along the lines of:
Whether that is the case or not, the perception is the person is just simply not thankful.
Just this morning I got the last of a huge pile of thank-you notes sent out. Well, I say the last, but I am sure there are even more that I am forgetting. :( I am praying that although many of these are late and the words written in them will most likely fall short of the deep thankfulness I feel in my heart that God will use them to bless the givers. I pray that even though they are late, no one will take that for ingratitude. I do not take the friends and family I have for granted. I do not take the prayers they have prayed for granted. I do not take the selfless acts they have done for granted. I do not take it lightly that they would prepare a meal for my family or send me a sweet note. I do not expect the sweet gifts given. And yet, I am human, and faulty. Praying that each and every person in my life knows how truly thankful I am.
The pastor said something that I totally agree with that was something along the lines of:
"Gratitude left unexpressed is perceived as ingratitude."
Whether that is the case or not, the perception is the person is just simply not thankful.
Just this morning I got the last of a huge pile of thank-you notes sent out. Well, I say the last, but I am sure there are even more that I am forgetting. :( I am praying that although many of these are late and the words written in them will most likely fall short of the deep thankfulness I feel in my heart that God will use them to bless the givers. I pray that even though they are late, no one will take that for ingratitude. I do not take the friends and family I have for granted. I do not take the prayers they have prayed for granted. I do not take the selfless acts they have done for granted. I do not take it lightly that they would prepare a meal for my family or send me a sweet note. I do not expect the sweet gifts given. And yet, I am human, and faulty. Praying that each and every person in my life knows how truly thankful I am.
Dear {long ago} Second Trimester,
Dear {long ago} Second Trimester,
Believe me, I know that you are long gone. I know I am deep in the trenches of the dreaded third trimester. But, the memories of you are still so near and dear to my heart that I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to bask in your glory just one more time.
You, second trimester, complete (the pregnant) me.
Because of you I started feeling better. No more throwing up! No more nausea! Of course, that also meant no more fitting into my regular clothes, but, again.... no more throwing up! No more nausea! I think those two things are enough for me to shout out my love for you here on this blog.
Because of you food started tasting good again. And, I started gaining weight. I don't remember very many cravings but I pretty much adored food in general again which was a big thing. BIG.
Because of you I got my energy back. No more taking a nap every single day. There were still a few days when I had to rest, but for the most part I was able to function when Lauren went down for her nap.
Because of you I started to feel baby Easton so much more. His first sweet little flutters soon turned into full on kicks and punches. Shawn was able to feel him move for the first time and the memory of watching Shawn's face as he watched the miracle making my belly move is one I will cherish forever.
Because of you I started planning a darling little boy's nursery! I spent hours scouring the internet for just. the. right. look. and I am so pleased with how it is turning out. I ordered the bedding online and Shawn and I spend a whole weekend taking everything out of the guest bedroom and transforming it into a nursery. I can't wait to show the finished product!
Because of you our sweet baby girl moved from her toddler bed into a big full size bed. Her room also got decorated and turned out cuter than I could have ever imagined. She loves it and I love that she embraced the change so easily. Much better than her mama did.
Because of you I really started to cherish my one on one time with my baby girl so much. Knowing that things are going to change (for the better I know) is so hard and I've really struggled with worry about how everyone will adjust. Thankfully, Lauren has been the absolute sweetest thing. She loves talking about baby "Eaton" and I know she is going to be the best big sister ever.
So, second trimester, thank you for the wonderful memories and energy. Thank you for taking it much easier on me. Thank you for the way my stomach grew and grew and the chance to feel the miracle inside of me!
Love,
Jen
Believe me, I know that you are long gone. I know I am deep in the trenches of the dreaded third trimester. But, the memories of you are still so near and dear to my heart that I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to bask in your glory just one more time.
You, second trimester, complete (the pregnant) me.
Because of you I started feeling better. No more throwing up! No more nausea! Of course, that also meant no more fitting into my regular clothes, but, again.... no more throwing up! No more nausea! I think those two things are enough for me to shout out my love for you here on this blog.
Because of you food started tasting good again. And, I started gaining weight. I don't remember very many cravings but I pretty much adored food in general again which was a big thing. BIG.
Because of you I got my energy back. No more taking a nap every single day. There were still a few days when I had to rest, but for the most part I was able to function when Lauren went down for her nap.
Because of you I started to feel baby Easton so much more. His first sweet little flutters soon turned into full on kicks and punches. Shawn was able to feel him move for the first time and the memory of watching Shawn's face as he watched the miracle making my belly move is one I will cherish forever.
Because of you I started planning a darling little boy's nursery! I spent hours scouring the internet for just. the. right. look. and I am so pleased with how it is turning out. I ordered the bedding online and Shawn and I spend a whole weekend taking everything out of the guest bedroom and transforming it into a nursery. I can't wait to show the finished product!
Because of you our sweet baby girl moved from her toddler bed into a big full size bed. Her room also got decorated and turned out cuter than I could have ever imagined. She loves it and I love that she embraced the change so easily. Much better than her mama did.
Because of you I really started to cherish my one on one time with my baby girl so much. Knowing that things are going to change (for the better I know) is so hard and I've really struggled with worry about how everyone will adjust. Thankfully, Lauren has been the absolute sweetest thing. She loves talking about baby "Eaton" and I know she is going to be the best big sister ever.
So, second trimester, thank you for the wonderful memories and energy. Thank you for taking it much easier on me. Thank you for the way my stomach grew and grew and the chance to feel the miracle inside of me!
Love,
Jen
Friday, March 04, 2011
It's unbelievable the change in Lauren since Monday. She is feeling so much better. I can't tell you how happy that makes me. Our short stay in the hospital was full of all kinds of perspective slaps in the face and although I would never want to willingly go through that again, I am thankful for what God showed me during our time there and in the moments we've been home since.
As our entire life stopped and we focused solely on the health of our daughter I realized the first of many things - I take our health for granted. I take the normalcy of my life for granted. I take my home for granted. I don't mean to. It isn't a conscious decision I make. I am just so comfortable that I tend to forget how blessed I am. When we started to get ready for bed at the hospital I thought about the families of children who are so ill they are there for weeks and months and my heart just broke. I thought about the parents who were facing far worse diagnosis than we were. I realized that I've just come to expect that our family is healthy and happy. Staying that short time in the hospital opened my eyes to the reality of this fallen world. And, made me appreciate what I have more than I ever have.
The last few evenings have been so wonderful as we've gotten back to life around here. It's silly that a weekend away and then an unexpected hospital stay could put me so far behind on housework and such, but it really did. Thankfully, I had a couple of friends who offered out of the kindess of their hearts to prepare us dinner this week. Desire' brought over a fabulous chicken spaghetti and the cutest cupcakes ever Tuesday night, and then my friend Kelly brought us a delicious lasagna and yummy brownies Wednesday night. Thank you girls again and again and again. It was SO nice to be able to just spend time with Lauren and get some stuff done around the house and not have to worry about dinner. You girls rock!
Last night I had a coupon to Chipotle for a buy one get one free burrito that was about to expire so we decided to go ahead and make it another easy night for dinner. Before we went we decided to surprise Lauren with a trip to the park. :) She was ecstatic and the weather was gorgeous.
Thank you for the prayers and love you have shown our family this week. It meant so much knowing there were people praying and helping us through such a crazy time. We are really hoping things will slow down a tad in the last few weeks leading up to Easton's birth day.
As our entire life stopped and we focused solely on the health of our daughter I realized the first of many things - I take our health for granted. I take the normalcy of my life for granted. I take my home for granted. I don't mean to. It isn't a conscious decision I make. I am just so comfortable that I tend to forget how blessed I am. When we started to get ready for bed at the hospital I thought about the families of children who are so ill they are there for weeks and months and my heart just broke. I thought about the parents who were facing far worse diagnosis than we were. I realized that I've just come to expect that our family is healthy and happy. Staying that short time in the hospital opened my eyes to the reality of this fallen world. And, made me appreciate what I have more than I ever have.
The last few evenings have been so wonderful as we've gotten back to life around here. It's silly that a weekend away and then an unexpected hospital stay could put me so far behind on housework and such, but it really did. Thankfully, I had a couple of friends who offered out of the kindess of their hearts to prepare us dinner this week. Desire' brought over a fabulous chicken spaghetti and the cutest cupcakes ever Tuesday night, and then my friend Kelly brought us a delicious lasagna and yummy brownies Wednesday night. Thank you girls again and again and again. It was SO nice to be able to just spend time with Lauren and get some stuff done around the house and not have to worry about dinner. You girls rock!
Last night I had a coupon to Chipotle for a buy one get one free burrito that was about to expire so we decided to go ahead and make it another easy night for dinner. Before we went we decided to surprise Lauren with a trip to the park. :) She was ecstatic and the weather was gorgeous.
Thank you for the prayers and love you have shown our family this week. It meant so much knowing there were people praying and helping us through such a crazy time. We are really hoping things will slow down a tad in the last few weeks leading up to Easton's birth day.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Verse #5
Wow! I can't believe how wonderful memorizing verses has been for me this year. I concur totally with the beautiful words my friend Kelly wrote about her experience here. Definitely worth a read! It seems like every verse I've chosen has challenged me in ways I never could have foreseen. For my new verse:
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2 Corinthians 4:16-17
I think this verse is exactly what I need to remember during this season of my life. Oh Lord, that I would be renewed day by day! That I would not run away from to whatever you are teaching me or to however you are refining me, but that I would be changed! Lord, that I would keep my eyes on the eternal even in the midst of the crazy right now.
I have a crazy idea! If you are memorizing scripture along with me this year I thought it might be fun to get together and meet for coffee one night and share the scriptures we've learned from heart! What if we plan a night after our 6th verse but before the 7th one and plan to share three of the scriptures we have down (we could share more if comfortable). I think it would be awesome to be in the presence of other women who are memorizing and applying scripture to their lives and to just be cheerleaders for each other. What do you think?! Let me know in the comments or email me if you are in!!! Also, if you aren't memorizing as many scriptures or aren't on the same plan as the Beth Moore Siesta Memory Team don't feel like this doesn't include you! I say if you have memorized any scripture and want to join us to come on!!!
1st Hospital Stay...Poor Girl
As you may remember Lauren had the dreaded stomach bug last week. We were so thankful that it only lasted about 12 hours and she was pretty much back to her normal self. We even spent the weekend with Shawn's parents and she seemed just fine. Well, Monday morning she woke up in the worst mood ever. She pretty much cried non-stop from 7:30 to noon. I was about to go insane because I could not figure out what her deal was.
Shawn came home for lunch and mentioned that her belly felt really hard and round. I hadn't really paid much attention to it so it kind of threw me off guard. I called the doctor since she had been soooo abnormally fussy on top of the tummy issue and they wanted to see her that afternoon. It soon became obvious that Lauren was not going to make it until her 4:30 appointment to be seen. She could not lie down, didn't want to straighten her legs, and would not stop crying. I called them back and they said I needed to be there in twenty minutes. I rushed to get both Lauren and myself decent and out the door. I usually make sure she has a backpack stocked with necessities and it honestly didn't even cross my mind because I felt so frantic to get her to the doctor.
When we arrived Lauren was in tremendous pain. She was crying loudly and didn't want any nurse or doctor messing with her. After her check-up, the doctor told me that she was concerned with the way Lauren's belly was so hard and so distended. She threw out things like appendicitis, a rupture of some sort, or an obstruction of the intestines. Then, she said that she felt the most comfortable getting Lauren admitted to the hospital. I couldn't believe that we had gone from something I thought was just Lauren being fussy to waiting for a hospital room to be made ready for us. I called Shawn and he dropped everything at work and came right over.
My parents were in town already for an appointment so they came over as soon as they could. It was such a scary time because Lauren was in incredible pain and there was nothing I could do to help her. The hospital gave her an IV and Shawn was able to go with her to get it. I couldn't. I felt bad, but I was a wreck already and I knew I couldn't be strong for her like Shawn would. They also attempted to get her blood drawn for labs, but it ended up clotting on them so they had to draw it again later. :( When she came back she had this huge cast like thing on her arm where the IV went so she wouldn't pull it out or mess with it. The doctors also did a stomach x-ray and I had to be out of the room for that since I am pregnant.
Lauren had a huge (and very traumatic) bowel movement that evening and seemed to feel much better after that happened. I won't go into detail, but oh my!
We ended up staying the night while we waited to hear the final results. I was so thankful that she seemed to be in much less pain by bedtime. I started the night sleeping with her in her twin sized hospital bed, but I was very uncomfortable and just never fell asleep. Shawn graciously switched me (he had the chair that pulls out into a bed) and I was finally able to get a little rest. Of course, the nurses come in every two hours to check vital signs, so the sleep was very choppy at best.
Tuesday morning Lauren's hospital doctor came in and explained that they thought the cause of her pain and discomfort was due to the virus she had last week. She said that sometimes the virus can settle in the intestines and cause a blockage of sorts which is what the x-ray showed. She asked if we were ready to be released and we were all ready to get home!!! It took a while for them to actually get us ready to get out of there and right before we left our doctor came back in and said that one of the lab tests they ran was growing bacteria. So...she said that it was either a contaminated test (somebody touched it) or there is a bacterial infection in her intestines. They wouldn't know until they gave it more time to grow and ran more tests but instead of making us stay and starting an IV antibiotic they graciously let us head home if we promised to get Lauren to her pediatrician today as soon as possible.
We have an appointment this morning at 9:30 to go over the final results of the lab work and for the pediatrician to take another look at Lauren's tummy. We are hoping for some answers, but we are just so glad that it wasn't anything major and that we are able to be home!!!
Shawn came home for lunch and mentioned that her belly felt really hard and round. I hadn't really paid much attention to it so it kind of threw me off guard. I called the doctor since she had been soooo abnormally fussy on top of the tummy issue and they wanted to see her that afternoon. It soon became obvious that Lauren was not going to make it until her 4:30 appointment to be seen. She could not lie down, didn't want to straighten her legs, and would not stop crying. I called them back and they said I needed to be there in twenty minutes. I rushed to get both Lauren and myself decent and out the door. I usually make sure she has a backpack stocked with necessities and it honestly didn't even cross my mind because I felt so frantic to get her to the doctor.
When we arrived Lauren was in tremendous pain. She was crying loudly and didn't want any nurse or doctor messing with her. After her check-up, the doctor told me that she was concerned with the way Lauren's belly was so hard and so distended. She threw out things like appendicitis, a rupture of some sort, or an obstruction of the intestines. Then, she said that she felt the most comfortable getting Lauren admitted to the hospital. I couldn't believe that we had gone from something I thought was just Lauren being fussy to waiting for a hospital room to be made ready for us. I called Shawn and he dropped everything at work and came right over.
My parents were in town already for an appointment so they came over as soon as they could. It was such a scary time because Lauren was in incredible pain and there was nothing I could do to help her. The hospital gave her an IV and Shawn was able to go with her to get it. I couldn't. I felt bad, but I was a wreck already and I knew I couldn't be strong for her like Shawn would. They also attempted to get her blood drawn for labs, but it ended up clotting on them so they had to draw it again later. :( When she came back she had this huge cast like thing on her arm where the IV went so she wouldn't pull it out or mess with it. The doctors also did a stomach x-ray and I had to be out of the room for that since I am pregnant.
Lauren had a huge (and very traumatic) bowel movement that evening and seemed to feel much better after that happened. I won't go into detail, but oh my!
We ended up staying the night while we waited to hear the final results. I was so thankful that she seemed to be in much less pain by bedtime. I started the night sleeping with her in her twin sized hospital bed, but I was very uncomfortable and just never fell asleep. Shawn graciously switched me (he had the chair that pulls out into a bed) and I was finally able to get a little rest. Of course, the nurses come in every two hours to check vital signs, so the sleep was very choppy at best.
(Thank goodness for Netflix and toddler games on our iPhones!)
Tuesday morning Lauren's hospital doctor came in and explained that they thought the cause of her pain and discomfort was due to the virus she had last week. She said that sometimes the virus can settle in the intestines and cause a blockage of sorts which is what the x-ray showed. She asked if we were ready to be released and we were all ready to get home!!! It took a while for them to actually get us ready to get out of there and right before we left our doctor came back in and said that one of the lab tests they ran was growing bacteria. So...she said that it was either a contaminated test (somebody touched it) or there is a bacterial infection in her intestines. They wouldn't know until they gave it more time to grow and ran more tests but instead of making us stay and starting an IV antibiotic they graciously let us head home if we promised to get Lauren to her pediatrician today as soon as possible.
(Lauren and her daddy watching for helicopters and waiting to be dismissed)
We have an appointment this morning at 9:30 to go over the final results of the lab work and for the pediatrician to take another look at Lauren's tummy. We are hoping for some answers, but we are just so glad that it wasn't anything major and that we are able to be home!!!
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